>> Learn why llama fiber is environmentally friendly

The Bridge Between Wool and Synthetic Fleece

Llama fiber offers an attractive alternative to synthetics, sheep's wool, or goose down for protection in cold, windy, and wet conditions. From the species originally native to the High Andes Mountains, this natural fabric delivers superior comfort, function, and appearance for anyone who spends time in the outdoors.

Llama vs. Down

Down is superior insulator because of its high warmth/ weight ratio, but other qualities of down limit its effectiveness and dependability. Down is a fill material and dependent on a fabric shell to hold it together so it can assume its loft and provide insulation. Typically, synthetic fabric is used for the garment shell because it is durable and tightly woven to limit escape of individual feathers. However, this synthetic shell greatly reduces breathing and wicking producing a garment that is quite warm, but can only be worn at very cold temperatures or perspiration results. A shell made from a natural fiber such as cotton addresses the breathing and wicking issue, but doesn't wear well, allows moisture penetration, and uses body heat to dry. Down also clumps and mats when wet and rarely returns to its original loft upon drying, thus losing a significant amount of its insulating qualities. This limits its use to dry conditions which are not always predictable in outdoor use. Dry cleaning down is necessary and expensive. Longevity of down garments is limited because of escapes, fabric tears, and clumping that reduce insulating effectiveness and garment appearance.

Though down enjoys a better warmth/weight ratio than llama fabric, llama has none of the other drawbacks of down. Llama fabric is more comfortable than down because its naturally soft texture eliminates stiff, noisy shell fabric typically encasing down fill as well as the distracting puffiness and chafing common to down filled garments. The wicking and breathing qualities of the llama fabric impart an impressive comfort range that greatly reduces the overheating that is common to down outerwear. The fact that the hollow llama fiber inherently retains its loft and will not compress with use as well as being washable makes this piece have a longer effective life and cheaper care and maintenance when compared with down. The llama garments perform at a higher level of dependability under a wider range of conditions because its performance is not affected by moisture.

Care:

Llama fiber has a natural cleanliness and resistance to staining that requires less cleaning and maintenance than other fibers. It is also resilient and maintains its good looks even with frequent wear and/or heavy use. It doesn't mat or pill. Washing the garment revitalizes and raises the nap of the fabric.

When cleaning is required, the garment may be dry-cleaned or washed. For best results:

• Wash the garment separately, in cold water, by hand or on the gentle cycle of your washing machine.
• Use mild laundry soap or shampoo.
• Press out excess water and lay flat, without wrinkles, on a flat, absorbent surface for drying.
• Do not wring wet garment or hang wet garment to dry.
• Do not use hot air or warm dryer cycle for drying.
• Do not use hot or warm water or bleach in the laundering process. Llama fiber has less scale than sheep's wool and is less prone to shrinkage as a result. However, hot water should be avoided. Wrinkles present when wet will take longer to disappear in the course of normal wear and should be taken out early in the drying process by blocking when laying out to dry.